Systems exist that issue security units to individuals. For example, printers can print a security pass in the form of a card, to which might be affixed a photograph of the individual to whom the card is issued. Such a photo ID is commonplace in our society, and includes a driver's license, a birth certificate, a building pass to access a floor in a building, and the like. As used herein, a security unit is any object that is issued to an individual only if the individual meets some eligibility requirements, and that can grant the individual some special privilege. Examples of security units, besides the photo IDs just mentioned, include credit cards, passports, keys, and visas, to name but a few.
It is important that security units only be issued to persons who are truly eligible to receive them. Failure to correctly ascertain eligibility could have dire consequences. For example, if a terrorist unlawfully obtains a security pass to a secured facility by misrepresentation, the resultant security breach could be catastrophic.
Present methods to determine eligibility have their drawbacks. For example, one common method to determine eligibility for a security unit, such as a passport, involves the presentation of another previous security unit, such as a birth certificate. However, there is no guarantee that the previous security unit was obtained lawfully in the first place. Alternatively, a signature might be required to authenticate the identity of an individual before the individual receives a security unit. Unfortunately, a criminal can forge the signature and obtain the security unit fraudulently. Other methods for determining eligibility for a security unit also have their shortcomings.
There therefore exists a need for systems and methods that issue security units to individuals that are better able to determine correctly the eligibility of the individuals seeking the units.